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How Much Does a Physical Therapist Assistant Make?

A physical therapist assistant in the US earns a median salary of $68,380 a year, or $32.88 an hour (BLS, May 2025). The average is $68,730, and the middle half earn between $59,820 and $78,680.

Median a year $68,380
Median an hour $32.88
Median a month $5,698
Average a year $68,730

Physical therapist assistant pay range

What physical therapist assistants earn at each point of the pay scale. The 10th percentile is a rough guide to starting pay.

Percentile A year An hour
10th (lowest 10%) $47,750 $22.96
25th $59,820 $28.76
Median (50th) $68,380 $32.88
75th $78,680 $37.83
90th (top 10%) $89,510 $43.04

The median is 34% more than the $50,980 median for all US jobs. About 112,430 people work as physical therapist assistants in the US.

After tax and by period

A week
$1,315
Every two weeks
$2,630
Twice a month
$2,849
A month
$5,698

At the median salary, before tax.

Physical therapist assistant salary by state

Sorted by average pay. California pays physical therapist assistants the most, at $83,080 a year on average.

State Average Median Jobs After tax
California $83,080 $83,110 9,400 After tax
Alaska $77,670 $77,640 110 After tax
New Jersey $77,020 $78,440 1,810 After tax
Massachusetts $76,350 $79,460 2,640 After tax
Texas $75,060 $78,000 10,510 After tax
Connecticut $73,730 $75,880 980 After tax
Maryland $73,000 $77,670 1,430 After tax
Nevada $72,960 $75,520 560 After tax
Virginia $72,710 $73,760 3,370 After tax
New Hampshire $72,140 $71,440 500 After tax
Vermont $71,320 $71,600 100 After tax
Florida $71,110 $72,530 9,870 After tax
Delaware $71,070 $74,610 340 After tax
Oregon $70,490 $73,180 890 After tax
North Carolina $68,790 $67,540 3,280 After tax
Georgia $68,580 $72,800 2,620 After tax
South Carolina $68,260 $70,500 1,870 After tax
Rhode Island $67,980 $68,640 420 After tax
Minnesota $67,730 $66,770 1,230 After tax
Colorado $67,520 $64,810 1,350 After tax
Maine $67,300 $66,250 410 After tax
Ohio $67,260 $63,820 7,040 After tax
District of Columbia $67,130 $63,400 40 After tax
Kansas $66,320 $64,500 1,300 After tax
Hawaii $66,160 $67,510 250 After tax
Wyoming $65,820 $63,550 240 After tax
Illinois $65,810 $65,240 4,890 After tax
New York $65,660 $64,100 3,620 After tax
Wisconsin $65,480 $64,080 1,650 After tax
Indiana $65,470 $65,280 2,830 After tax
Montana $65,320 $62,650 250 After tax
Missouri $65,190 $63,770 2,490 After tax
Washington $65,090 $66,450 2,150 After tax
Arizona $64,970 $64,650 2,010 After tax
Arkansas $64,500 $64,520 1,620 After tax
Tennessee $64,060 $62,500 3,390 After tax
Pennsylvania $63,820 $62,580 4,270 After tax
Alabama $63,130 $61,430 2,700 After tax
Mississippi $62,850 $61,770 1,150 After tax
Utah $62,470 $61,980 970 After tax
New Mexico $62,000 $62,280 700 After tax
Nebraska $61,890 $61,370 980 After tax
West Virginia $61,560 $60,430 980 After tax
Louisiana $61,250 $65,370 1,670 After tax
Kentucky $60,490 $61,480 2,580 After tax
North Dakota $60,490 $63,520 120 After tax
Michigan $60,260 $61,670 4,520 After tax
Iowa $60,220 $61,030 1,060 After tax
Idaho $60,200 $61,020 560 After tax
Oklahoma $57,990 $59,480 2,380 After tax
South Dakota $52,170 $49,310 300 After tax
Puerto Rico $35,620 $29,710 830

A dash means BLS did not publish that figure for the state.

Other healthcare support jobs

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025 (published 2026), for “Physical Therapist Assistants” (SOC 31-2021). Wages are before tax and leave out self-employed workers. All job salaries

About the Job Salaries

Job Salaries shows what more than 500 US jobs pay, from nurses and electricians to software developers and truck drivers. Each job has its median and average salary, hourly and monthly pay, the pay range from the lowest-paid 10% to the top 10%, and a table of pay in every state. The figures come from the Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey, the largest survey of US pay, in its latest release.

How to use it

  1. 1 Search for a job or pick one from the list.
  2. 2 Read the median salary, hourly pay and the pay range.
  3. 3 Check the salary by state to see where the job pays most.
  4. 4 Open the take-home pay calculator to see the salary after tax.

Frequently asked questions

How much does a physical therapist assistant make an hour?

The median hourly wage for a physical therapist assistant is $32.88, and the average is $33.04. The lowest-paid 10% earn under $22.96 an hour and the top 10% over $43.04.

How much does a physical therapist assistant make a month?

At the median salary of $68,380, a physical therapist assistant earns about $5,698 a month before tax, or $2,630 every two weeks.

Which state pays physical therapist assistants the most?

California has the highest average pay for a physical therapist assistant, at $83,080 a year. Next are Alaska and New Jersey. Pay is usually higher where living costs are higher, so compare take-home pay too.

What is the starting salary for a physical therapist assistant?

The lowest-paid 10% of physical therapist assistants earn less than $47,750 a year, and the lowest 25% less than $59,820. That is a fair guide to starting pay, which depends on the state, the employer and your experience.

How much do the highest-paid physical therapist assistants make?

The top 10% earn more than $89,510 a year, and the top 25% more than $78,680.